Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Fabaceae

Genus:

Cercis

Species:

Cercis canadensis subsp. texensis

Growth Characteristics

Growth Habit:

Tree , Shrub

Height:

600 cm

Drought Tolerance:

High

Bloom Months:

mar,apr,may

Bloom Colors:

pink, purple, magenta

Landscaping Shrub:

Yes

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees, butterflies, birds

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fall Color:

yellow

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts vigorously from root crown after fire or top damage. Common in fire-prone oak-juniper woodlands where periodic burns promote regeneration.

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–90 days

Scarification:

Seed coat scarification required before sowing

Germination Time:

14–45 days

Notes:

Seed coat is impermeable; scarification or hot water treatment greatly improves germination rates. Cold stratification follows scarification.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI